Inspired by Summersing Music and Arts Empowerment Camp in Montana, Wo-Ma-Mu retreats are held each spring and fall in northern California. We are a community of big-hearted women who love to sing, laugh, learn and play. We support risk-taking and cooperative music-making for everyone from professionals to complete beginners.

Over four hundred women have been to our retreats since our first gathering in 1991 under the directorship of Singer-Songwriter Judy Fjell and the WoMaMu nonprofit board. Fall 2016 marked our FIFTIETH camp and our 25th year! We now begin the second half our our Planet WoMaMu rotation around the sun.

Workshops have been varied and rich over the years, too. We offer classes for women at all ability levels and welcome all to attend. Our community consists of everyone from rank beginners to professional musicians. Workshop titles might include any of the following:

BEGINNING & INTERMEDIATE GUITAR, UKULELE, MANDOLIN, BASS

GOING BEYOND I-IV-V ON GUITAR (FINGERPICKING, BLUES, LEAD, SWING)

CARTER FAMILY SONGS

BEGINNING HARMONICA, BLUES HARMONICA

FREEING YOUR SPONTANEOUS SELF THROUGH IMPROV

SPIRITUAL SONGS, POLITICAL SONGS, HUMOROUS SONGS

SONGWRITING

BODY PERCUSSION

AFRICAN DRUMMING

ART CLASSES - WATERCOLOR JOURNALS, ALTAR-BUILDING

IMPROVISATIONAL SINGING, SOLFA SIGHTREADING

SONGWORKS MUSIC GAMES FOR TEACHING CHILDREN

WOMEN'S CHORUS

In addition to the regular workshops, WoMaMu offers campers a wonderful opportunity to jam together, participate in carefree singalongs, perform at open no-mics, learn some new dance steps, take bird and wildflower walks, or sit quietly in the woods or an easy chair at The Bishop's Ranch.

Our camp is alcohol-free, drug-free, scent-free, and wheelchair accessible. The excellent kitchen at the Bishop's Ranch makes dining a wonderful experience for all dietary needs. The quality of music, creativity, and conversation at WoMaMu is unique and unsurpassed. Women of ALL musical abilities are truly welcome.

The Origins of Women Making Music RetreatsSome very enthusiastic campers were so excited about their experiences at Judy Fjell's Music Empowerment Camp in Montana in the summer of 1991 that they decided to host the first Women Making Music weekend retreat in Northern California that very fall with Judy as artistic director. WoMaMu has been held twice a year ever since and was incorporated as a 501(c)3 in 1993. Judy also directs Music Empowerment, Inc., a 501(c)3 which has hosted many women's cultural events, including the Northern California Women's Chorus Dinner Party Tour to Los Angeles, the Canta Bella Women's Chorus Invitationals, Montana Summersing Camp, and Wild Jammin' Women retreats(wildjamminwomen.com) in Southern California. For more information on Judy's career and other empowerment and educational activities,see www.judyfjell.com .